Separable demountable rim.



V w. M. wnn. SEPAMBLE DEMOUNTABLE 'w. APPUCATION FILEI1 FEB. 12. 1914.

Patented June 4, 1918.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

TILLIAM M. WIRTH, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOUEI, ASSIGNOR '1'0 ST. LOUIS WELDING &a

HANUFACTUBING COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOUIRI, A COBPOMTION OF MIS- qom szraum mmonwrannn BIM.

lpeclleto ot Letter ratent.

Patented June 4, 1918.

Application filed February 12, 1914. Serial Ho. &18,318.

To all whom it may concem:

y Be it known that I, WILLIAM M. WmTH, a. citizen of the United States, and resident of St. Louis, Miss'ouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvemets in Separable Demountable Rims, of which the following is a specification containing a full, clear and exact description, reference being ha to the acconpanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

The invention relates particularly to clencher type rims for wheels of automobiles and other vehicles which are fitted with pneumatic tires, and the object of the invention is to provide for demounting or removing the tire and rim from the wheel as a unt and to provide :for easily and quickly separatng the rim so as to remove and replace the tire. The invention consists chiefiy in constructing the rim in two rings, which are adapted to interengage and be locked together inseparably in assembled position of the rim on the wheel, but which can be easily separated when ofl' the wheel. What the invention consists in is further defined in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, and in which the same reference characters designate the same parts in the several views,

Fi re 1 is a side view of a portion of a hee and rim embodyin the invention, shown in assembled position with' a tire thei-een;

Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the same, drawn to a larger scale than Fig. 1;

Fi 3 is an inside view of a portion of the rm, showing the latch and end of the split ng Fi a cross-section of the same on the 4 line t in Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fi 5 is a longitudinal section of the same on tl e line 5-5 in Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the errows;

Fig. 6 is an outer face of the split ring;

Fig. 7 is a si view of one of the parts of the rm, drawn to a small scale, showing it a complete ring; and

Fig. 8 is a side view of the other part of the nm, showing it a split or o en ring.

The drawings illustrte the nvention applied to a wheel having a wooden felly 9 and epokes 10 of ordinary conmructon.

view of the ends rnetal felly band 11. surrounds the felly and s permanen'tly Secured thereto in any-suitable manner. One edge of the bend 11 (preferably the one at the inner side of the wheel) is provided with an outwardly pro-- 1ecting flange 12 which slopes away from the band, forning an inclined or sloping wall around the felly at one edge.

The demountable rim consisi ef two rings which are arranged side bj side with their meeting edgcs interlocked, but separahle from each other. One of the rings is endless (that is, it has a, continue:: periphery) and the other is split or open that is, it is cut through at one oint of its periphery). The endless ring 13 as a coni-&minus fiange or curled edge 14: rojecting outward around its free edge for olding one m? the beaded edges of the tire A rib 15 projects inward along the other edge of the ring 13 for en gaging with the open ring. The rib 15 substantially rectangular 111 crces-sectionai shape, and the ring 13 has a shellow groove 16 in its inner face next to the rib, the rih and groove extending around the ring for its entire circmference.

The o en ring 17 has an outwardly pr jecting &nge or curled edge 18 around free edge which coperates with the flang 14 for securing the tire; and its other edge is provided with a. channel or groove 19 for receiving the rib 15 of the endless ring 13., and a flange 20 which projects into the pove 16, to hold the two rings together.

e curled edge 18 of the open ring 17 co operates with the curled edge 14 of the endless ring 13 for seem-ing the beaded edges of the tire when the rings are locked together'. A cross wall 21 bridges the channel 19 and seats in a notch 22 in the rib 15 to lock the two rings together against circumferential creeping or relative rotation. The open ring 17 fits within the continuous ring 18 and is inseparable from it when the tire is in place and inflated.

The open ring 17 is constructed of elastic metal preferably steel, so that when it is placed in position and engaged with the fixed rim section its ends will tend to spread apet-t, thereby causing suflicient frctional engegement to securely unite the two rngs to form a substantial rim.

This frictional engagement is under all ordinary conditions of locking the rings together; however,

suflicient use for to proiions 13 and 17 15 from vide a positive lock looking cam 23 is provided. as'shhwn in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. This cam has `its npper face beveled or inclined, as shown in Fig. t and the lower faces of the open e'de of the channeled portion of the open ring 17 a'e inclined to receive the inclined portion of the cam 23 so that when the cam is moved to a position overlyin said inclined ends they will be forced against the endless ring, thereby securing the ends of the open ring 17 against movement and rattling.

The assenbled ring is held in laee on the felly by means of a locking eviee 24 which is wedge-shaped at its upper end to enga ge the curled edge 18 of the open ring in opposition to the flange 12 of the felly hand. A number of these looking devices are provided, spaced around the eircnmference of the wheel, and they are secured by bolts 25.

Assuming a tire to be in position, as shown in Fg. 2, in order to detaeh the same the looking devices 24 are removed, which frees the assembled rim, that is, both secare securely locked together. The rim sections With the tire are then removed or demounted, and the cam 23 is turned to uniock the ends of the open ring 17, after which a tool such as a serew-driver is placed between the tongue QQ'nd the body 13 of the rim :it the open end of the ring 17, and the tool is manipulated to free the tongue 20 from the groove 16 and the rib the channel-` 19. After the open ring 17 with its flange 18 has been removed from the endless ring 13, the rim sections may be detaehed from the tire Without difiiculty.

This arrangement of parte, in which the two parts of the rim are Secured together by between the rings, a

iocking means integral With the parte, provides as secure a rim union as in the ordinary separable rins having a separate lookmg means, and the operation of attaching or detachmg tires is greatly facilitated by the use of oniy two rim elements.

claim:

1. A separable rim consisting of two rings, one of which is endless and the other is open, said ringshaving means along their outer edges for'securing a tire, the inner edges of said rings being provided with mating grooves and fian ges, the flange of the open ring fitting within the groove of the other ring, and looking means adapted to lap across the meeting ends of the flanged edge of the open ring and secure them in the groove in the other ring.

2. A separnble 'in eonsisting of t r rings, one of which is endless and the other is open, said rings having means :hmg their outer edges for seenring a tire, the inner edge of the endless ring being provided with a fiange, and the inne' edge of the open ring being grooved and arranged within the flanged edge of the endless rin said groove and flange being provided wth a mating tongue and notch for preventing reltive angular movement between said rngs, and locking means adapted to lap across the meeting ends of the open ,ring end secure them in the groove in the other ring.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this speeifieation, in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM M. WIRTH.

witnesses;

E. L. WALLAo, JOHN C. HIGDON.

& i 

